Six freshmen students from English Teacher Marissa Churchwell’s class were honored at the Read! Imagine! Create! Award Ceremony in April 2022.

   The event is organized by Write Out Loud, a non-profit organization that inspires, challenges, and entertains through stories and literature. The Read! Imagine! Create! contest is held every year, encouraging students to submit a creative interpretation of a chosen work of literature in any medium (writeoutloudsd.com).

   This year, the featured work was The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. The Write Out Loud website stated, “Submissions are displayed in area libraries in the spring, and all are considered for cash prizes. Awards and recognition are presented at a public ceremony.” Free books are also available upon request (writeoutloudsd.com).

   Churchwell incorporates this event into a lesson every year, having the class participate and submit the project. Churchwell said, “I work with the program Read Imagine Create every single year, and it’s a different book every year. I do this both because the students receive a free book and so they can have more than just writing in English class. They have to do a writing assignment with the project, but they can use their creative outlets and it makes it more fun and interesting.”

   According to Mrs. Andrea Lehman, there were over 800 entries this year. Out of those, six UC high students won awards. Lehman said, “Jason Weistrop received Special Recognition in Media Art for claymation. Special Recognition for Visual Art was awarded to students Angeleena Ahmadi, Jasmine Lim, Sawyer Landry, and Tomas Steinberg. Noah Nordstrand received First Prize in Performance Art for his piano, sax, and vocal composition.”

   Lehman said, “In addition, the UC Community Library is currently displaying some of the students’ work.” The Library is located at 4155 Governor Drive. Lehman added, “Next year’s contest will feature the book, The Bear, by Andrew Krivak. It is open to all students and is a great opportunity for artistic expression and potential cash prizes.”

   Lehman said, “Standley Middle School’s English teacher Leane Leezy, had multiple students recognized from her sixth grade class.  Receiving Special Recognition for entries in Literary Art were Eleanor Cheng, Sydney Eiskamp, and Lily Tichenor.  Anna Chumakova, Alice Laur, Axel Magnuson, and Grayson Shpyrko received Special Recognition in Performance Art.  For Visual Art, the students awarded Special Recognition were Mia Banerjee, Grayson Chirco, Maya Verdy Eisman, Drexel Frederickson, Stav Genchel, and Olivia Good.”